Today's loss inspired me to breakdown the ins and outs of this game. Of course, you can read my take on the whole MAC every week on VanDelay Sports but here is a more focused look at a game the Bobcats let slip away...
- Another eight-point halftime lead blown. This is the third time in MAC play alone the Bobcats have blown a lead of that point total. First at Miami, then at Bowling Green, and now today. Ohio's offense was looking strong in the first half, with good ball movement and aggressive play. That was lost somewhere in the locker room at half. The offense became stagnant, there was no penetration and shots were no longer falling. Give credit to Ball State...the Cardinals are a good defensive team. However, 19 points in the second half is not going to do the job.
- The Bobcats' 2-3 Zone looked effective throughout much of the first half. However, Brawley Chisholm got open for a few threes and Terrence Watson just tore up the Ohio D, with 20 points and 16 rebounds. Credit to KVK for good defense on Jarrod Jones through much of the game. Unfortunately, Jones stepped up in OT and hit the game-winner with seconds left.
- Ohio's last possession of the game= absolute abomination. I like John Groce but someone has to be held accountable for this. Tommy Freeman got the defensive rebound after Jauwan Scaife inexcusably missed a very easy layup with 27 seconds left. In 27 seconds, Freeman passed to Cooper and no one else touched the ball. There was no timeout called, which is not necessarily a big problem. But Groce was talking to Cooper as the clock ticked down under 10 and then Cooper just chucked up a three-point shot from 30 feet out. Talk about a low percentage shot at the end of regulation in a tie game. Why not penetrate to the lane or move the ball? The Bobcats have had a lot of bad final minute possessions during the Groce era, i.e. Bowling Green and Buffalo at the Convo last year.
- Then overtime...first off, I thought the officials in this game were terrible. They missed a pretty obvious foul on Armon Bassett's missed three-pointer with 50 seconds left in regulation. Then with 23 seconds left in OT, Asown Sayles looked to have been fouled on a layup try but no call again.
- Finally, the moment that probably cost the Bobcats this game. Up 66-65 with 13 seconds left, Ohio was called for a five-second violation on the inbound. John Groce was allegedly signaling for a timeout but did not get it. Ball State got the ball back and Jones made the game-winner. This is just poor execution. You have to be able to get the ball in or call a timeout. If Ohio gets it in, it shoots free throws and can make it a two or three-point game. Instead, Ball State won on the possession it got from the Bobcats' turnover.
- Ohio's next game is at Toledo, which should be cake but this is another demoralizing, close loss. The Bobcats have played a ton of close games at the Convo in the past two years and it seems like they're losing more than they're winning. Remember when Ohio rarely lost games at the Convo? So far in '09-'10, they're 1-3 at home in MAC play. They have now dug a pretty big hole, with a 2-5 MAC record.
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